


But I Knew Him

by AnnieMack



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, lots of 1940s stevebucky, this will be cute flashbacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 13:24:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9073804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieMack/pseuds/AnnieMack
Summary: Steve felt like he was dying. "He looked right at me, and didn't even recognize me." But Steve knew him. He knew the cocky, smug, beautiful boy he called his best friend. He knew Bucky Barnes better than anyone. He knew the curve of his soft lips, the blue in his eyes, how he liked his coffee, how to kiss him, how to love him. Steve knew him.Memories whirled around the Winter Soldier's head. Flashes of ocean eyes and a smile like a sunrise, belonging to a small frame with blond hair, somehow the same man as the one on the bridge. "I knew him," he whispered. More moments flooded his mind. Moments full of joy and laughter and love and dancing and kissing. Everything the Winter Soldier had forgotten. Everything that was erased from his mind, taken away because he was no more than a lethal weapon. The memories were all silent until he heard a faint, once familiar voice say, "I'm with you till the end of the line, Buck." He could feel a warmth that was so foreign, yet comforting wash over his body as he saw a flash of the blond up on his toes to press lips against a taller brunet. His felt his lips tingle with explosions as their mouths collided. He whispered again, this time with a small, sad smile, "But I knew him."





	

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea months ago and I'm finally posting it. This will be a series of one shots that are flashbacks into Steve and Bucky's relationship told out of chronological order. I hope you enjoy!

"Come on, Buck," Steve whined, "You know I don't know how to dance." 

Bucky pulled at his friend's hands and lifted him from the couch. "Stevie, just let me teach you how to. You always talk about finding the right partner and who's better than your best friend." Bucky gave him that look as he said that. Steve didn't know what to call that look but it was somewhere between puppy eyes and a smug grin. Steve did know that whenever Bucky used it on him, Bucky got what he wanted. Steve was honestly just a sucker for his dumb smug ass. 

The blonde laughed and shook his head. "Okay, I guess we're doing this." 

Bucky gave him a smile and announced, "I'll lead!" He put his hand over Steve's tiny waist and pulled him close. He let his eyes travel to his lips for a second before he took the other boy's hand in his. He began to lead with his right foot and Steve tried but failed to follow successfully. Bucky restarted a few times and laughed every time Steve would trip over his own feet. After a while, Steve fell and took Bucky down with him. 

They toppled over each other in a fit of laughter and Bucky landed on top of Steve's small frame. They let themselves laugh for a few minutes until they were both out of breath. Silence eventually fell over the two boys and they stared at each other. 

For a moment, Steve thought Bucky might close the distance between them and press their lips together. Slow, sweet, and lovingly move his lips in time with his own. Kiss him so long that neither of them knew how long they had been lying on top of one another. Kiss him like he's bound to kiss all of those girls in the coming years. Kiss him like he's allowed to, like he's supposed to. Kiss him like nothing in the world could stop him, not even the fear of being found out or the laws they're ignoring. Kiss him with his beautiful, pink lips that Steve had studied and stared at and wondered how they would taste for so long. Kiss him with lips he's sketched out millions of times. Kiss him with lips Steve fell asleep dreaming about how they would feel like pressed gently against his own, sometimes not so gently. Sometimes fast and hungry and needy and so, so hot. The kiss would continue and they would break apart for a moment to unbutton each other's shirts. After a second of taking the other in, their lips would touch again and were sloppy as their hands found themselves wandering and fumbling with belts and trouser buttons. Steve found himself waking up covered in sweat, breathing so hard and fast he thought he was having an asthma attack. Sometimes the kiss was deep and slow and full of so much love and emotion Steve's eyes would shoot open and he would feel empty, so, so empty. He wasn't allowed to have that. A hundred dames could have that, but never Steve. His lips were never allowed to touch Bucky's, even if he felt a need so strong he became lightheaded and could physically feel his heart ache for his love of his best friend. 

He stared at the other boy's lips longer than he should have. He examined the shape, color, and every other detail already stored in his pretty blond head. Bucky didn't seem to notice. He just let out a laugh and stood up. A second later, held a hand out for his best friend to grab. Steve took it and Bucky pulled his entire weight up with ease. 

Steve let out another laugh, "Told you I was terrible." Then, shook his head, "But you're a jerk who never listens to me." 

Bucky threw an arm around him and his token smirk spread across his astonishing lips, "Why would I listen to a punk like you?" Steve shoved him playfully and smiled up at his best friend. "Wanna start the record over? Try again?" Steve gave him a look. "Hey, we ain't stopping until you learn how to dance, Blondie." 

Steve raised an eyebrow, "Blondie? That's new." 

"Well, I already called you a punk, and the situation didn't call for Stevie." 

Steve shook his head at his grinning friend. God, he was in love with him. "You're an interesting one, Barnes." 

He shrugged, smile never dimming, "That's what they tell me." He bumped his shoulder into Steve's, "The record ain't resetting itself." Steve rolled his eyes and walked over to the player. Bucky stared at him and took in his every move. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his brunet hair. 

He wanted him. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to hold him close. Wanted Steve to be his only dance partner. He didn't want a dame, he wanted Steve. But what he wanted, Steve could never know. It could tear them apart if Steve didn't feel the same way, and why would he? But for a second, he let his mind wander and thought about how Steve's lips would feel on his own. This was usually something he thought about as he feel asleep, but as he saw Steve's bright as a sunrise smile and sparkling ocean eyes, he let himself entertain the idea fully conscious. What he didn't know, was that Steve had done the same damn thing for years. 

Neither of them said anything about it that night. They were two fools hopelessly in love with no idea how to go about telling the other. It would be long before either would admit it to the other, so, for the time being, they stayed silent about their feelings and enjoyed their time with their best friend.


End file.
